PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., March 23 (UPI) -- The Players Championship begins Thursday with the world's top 50 players in the field and the No. 1 position in the world rankings on the line.
Golf's current big four -- Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson -- highlight the field in a tournament that is generally ranked just behind the four major titles in importance.
Singh currently holds the No. 1 ranking, but both Woods and Els have a chance to unseat him this week. Mickelson, ranked fourth, cannot move to No. 1 but he can come close and set up a jump to the top next month at the Masters.
The four players will be scattered among the pairings for the first round Thursday over the TPC-Sawgrass Stadium Course.
Mickelson and Woods will have morning tee times, but Mickelson will start on No. 1 and Woods on No. 10. Singh and Els will play in the afternoon with Singh going off No. 1 and Els No. 10.
Rain has played a key role on the PGA Tour this season and it could again this week. Showers are in the forecast for Thursday and more moisture could fall later in the week.
